A Thousand Years
by Lersi Xavier Lensherr
Summary: Erik keeps having a disturbing dream about a man he doesn't recognize but is deeply attached to him.
1. The Mysterious Man

He woke up gasping and drenched in sweat. He had seen the same dream again. The same one that has been haunting him for a few months now. It was as vivid as it had been the first time he saw it. His mind at this late hour of the night fresh of it. He could see himself very clearly, dressed in yellow and black and wearing a very strange helmet that he never saw in his life. But he was never alone in the dream. There was always another man there. One that was only a few inches shorter than him. He has dark brown hair that looked so soft, Erik could almost feel the texture of it. The man also had one striking aspect of his appearance. His eyes - which were the thing that stood out to Erik the most - were of the deepest most shining blue Erik had ever laid eyes on. He could've sworn they shined brighter than the moon if he were to see them at night. But this wasn't the entirety of the dream. As handsome as the man was and as much as Erik tried to deny his attraction to him, there was the part of the dream that caused Erik to wake up gasping for air in the dead of the night. In this nightmare, Erik continuously sees himself deflect a bullet being shot at him by a woman he couldn't recognize. The bullet avoids him but it hits the handsome man in the lower back as he is trying to get up. In every single dream, every single night, Erik can feel the same jolt. He feels his heart drop to his knees as the man he can't get out of his head falls on the warm beach sand. He tries to reach to him every single time but the nightmare manages to end and Erik wakes up just before he has the chance to reach the hurt man.

Lying awake in bed, Erik decides that there is no way he can fall asleep again especially with dawn fast approaching. He sits up and swings his body to the right, dangling his legs off the side of the bed. He just sits there for a few minutes, staring into the blackness of his bedroom. He yawns and stretches then just before he gets up, he flicks his wrist in the direction of the bathroom to turn on the taps of the shower. His life has had this routine for a while now, always waking up before dawn drenched in his own sweat and having to be up when no else was. It was taking its toll on him, and it was very visible. He had dark circles under his eyes from sleep deprivation and he lacked his usual upbeat energy. So as he dragged his feet to the shower, he was ready to spend a few extra minutes under the warm running water. It relaxed his muscles and untied the knots he felt in his back and he felt a relief from that. A relief he let be shown as he sighed under at the touch of the water. Erik didn't quite know how long he stood there just enjoying the warm water as his thoughts were consumed by the beautiful vision that had been visiting him in his dreams. Try as hard as he could, Erik couldn't get this man out of his head. Just having him comprise all of Erik's thoughts put a smile on Erik's face that he couldn't possible hide. Realizing that he had been standing in the shower too long by his skin that was starting to look like prunes, Erik completed his shower.

Outside, he got dressed and combed his hair in less than five minutes. That was another thing that tired Erik. He normally did his routine procedures quickly which left him a lot of time for his brain to wonder. Walking out of his bedroom, he made his way to the small kitchen of his London apartment. Usually Erik's breakfast is fairly simple, Black coffee. Deciding that he wants to take some of the time his brain has to wonder, Erik starts to cook himself some breakfast. That was something he hadn't done in a long time but it felt good. He takes a few eggs out of the fridge and sets them on the counter as he grabs a small frying pan. He fills a new filter with fresh coffee from a package he just opened and turns the coffee maker on. Gathering his spices and seasoning, he starts to cook his eggs and the smell of it was heavenly. His ability to cook was something he would never reveal to anyone, even though there was nothing to be ashamed of. With the coffee machine signaling that his coffee was ready, Erik sat down at his small kitchen table and began to enjoy his breakfast. His mind being free again, it didn't take long for the handsome man with the stunning blue eyes to occupy Erik's thoughts again. This time he wasn't in pain though, he was sitting across from Erik at the kitchen table and joining him in having breakfast. Their eyes would meet every few seconds and whenever they did, Erik could feel his heart smile and increase in its beat. A simply beautiful way to recompense for the nightmare that he had been having.

With his eggs and coffee all done, Erik quickly washes the dishes, and puts on his coat and boots to check the mail as he hadn't checked it for a while. As soon as he sets foot outside his door, the cold January air sends chills down his spine and Erik can't help but clutch his coat tighter around his neck. A few steps and he reached the beautifully hand-crafted mail box that had come with the apartment. Opening it he finds a small package that was about the size of his palm. He reads the recipient name on it and it matches his own but the sender's name is what confused Erik a little. _**Charles Xavier**, _the package read. "Who's Charles Xavier?" thought Erik to himself "Do I know a Charles Xavier?" He had no memory of the name but it seemed very familiar to him. Almost as familiar as his own name. He was beginning to see his breath rise in small clouds in front of him, so he chose to settle this case in the warmth of his apartment. But what warmth? So consumed in his thoughts of his beautiful man, he forgot to light the fire in the old-style fire place. So as he walked through the front door, he picked up a couple of small logs and the matches and started to build the fire. The warmth filled up the entire apartment quickly and Erik sat on the ground in front of the fire with the package in front of him and rubbed his hands together for warmth while exhaling into them. He was starting to feel warmer and his fingers were no longer too frozen to open the mysterious package. He looked at the sender's name one more time before opening the package and that same feeling of familiarity filled him. Inside the palm-side package was a small key and a piece of paper folded into 4. The key caught Erik's attention first, being metal. To his expert eye it looked to be a key used for a very small lock, one usually used on jewelry boxes. He held onto the key as he picked up the piece of paper. On it in what Erik thought was the most elegant and beautiful script was his name. _**Erik Lensherr**,_ written to look as though printed by a master of calligraphy. It made Erik feel a twinge of jealousy as he had never written his name so beautifully before. But he quickly disregarded that thought as curiosity was getting the better of him. With one quick flick of his fingers, Erik unfolded the paper and was shocked. The entirety of the message was in the same perfect handwriting that said his name. "Only someone so mesmerizing could possibly have such good looking handwriting" he thought to himself aloud in the freezing cold dawn and his voice echoed against the silence interrupted by the gentle crackling of the fire. The message was very short, it read:

_It's time for you to know who you_

_are. The key I've included should open_

_a box I've hidden under the statue across _

_from your apartment. It should be fairly easy for_

_you to find it. _

_Best of wishes, Charles Xavier _

Erik didn't know what to think. The statue of an angel across the street from his apartment had been there ever since Erik moved in. He never thought of it as a special place until now though. Standing up, he picked up the package and placed it along with the letter on the kitchen table on his way to the window of the living room. He kept the key in his hand. He moved the curtains blocking his view and looked out at the angel. Under the statue, the base supporting it was made of brick and Erik was quick to notice that one wasn't fully attached to the others. He thought that maybe that's where Charles hid his box. Already in his coat and boots as he never took them off when he came back after checking the mail, he went out into the cold winter again.

He moved slowly, anxiously. He didn't know what could possibly be hidden under the statue but something kept his feet moving. For some reason, Erik connected the faceless name of the package's sender to the nameless face of the man he continuously hurts in his dreams. To him at this moment, the shorter man with the silky brown hair and blue eyes that were deeper than galaxies was Charles Xavier. He crossed the snow-filled street without looking out for any passing cars, his mind already preoccupied by the image of his visitor. But it didn't matter that he didn't look because if there were any cars he would be able to feel their metal and stop them if necessary. As he reaches the angel statue, he gets down on his knees and starts investigating. He removes some of the snow surrounding the base of the statue with his bare hands, his fingers burning with the temperature of the snow. He clears out the entire base so that the loose brick was fully visible. He gives it a tap, but it stays in place. He taps it harder a few times, yet it remains attached to the other bricks. He knocks on it, and his hears the familiar hollow chamber sound. A smile graces his face as he realizes that there is truth behind all of this and it's not a simple prank by someone. Using whatever strength his frostbitten fingers could manage, Erik pulls the loose brick away from the others and surely enough there a chamber behind it. He reaches inside and finds a box just like Charles said there would be. Examining it, Erik is in a state of awe. The box just like the name is so familiar to him. He would recognize the excellent craftsmanship and the flawless "X" on the lid anywhere. He didn't know how he recognized it but he did. His fore finger idly tracing the beautifully carved "X" as his brain tries to make sense of all of this. He is jolted out of his trance by the start of the snow fall though and he stands up to make his way to his apartment.


	2. A Projection

Back in the warmth of his home, Erik takes off his coat and boots and sits at the kitchen table to think the matter of familiarity with the small box over. He looks at the small key still in the palm of his hand and decides that maybe whatever is inside this box would give him the answers he wanted. So, using the ability of his mutation, Erik slips the small key into the keyhole of the box and wills it to turn. It clicks, but he doesn't immediately lift the lid to reveal the contents. He hesitates, thoughts racing in his head. "What if whatever is in this box doesn't give me the answers I want." He thinks, "What if the contents only give rise to more questions and complicate the situation" but he knew that there was no escape. He had to look inside as he couldn't guess what was in, even with his mutation. Slowly, Erik places both of his hands on the lid and lifts it. Inside is something that he couldn't begin to describe. It was somewhat big, about the size of half a piece of paper and of an element Erik didn't recognize. It looked as if it was missing something, maybe a part of it. That or it was a part of something else. The longer he looked at it the familiar it got, until he was able to determine that he's seen it before. The object was part of the strange helmet he wears in his nightmares. Unable to hold back the words on his tongue, Erik exclaimed "That helmet is real? But how, my subconscious made that up. It can't be real." But it was because it was right there in front of him, well a piece of it. "Why is it broken though?" He questioned. Just like he thought, the contents of Charles' box only raised more questions. Finally deciding to take a better look at the piece of helmet, Erik reaches into the box to pick it up. The second his skin touches the element, he feels as though his mind is no longer his own. The room around him became hazy and it felt like something was tugging on his mind. A feeling he could only relate to having forgotten something and trying so hard to remember it. And whatever it was, it came crashing fast. Erik could see himself with the man from his dreams, but the setting was different. Erik wasn't wearing the helmet and the man he associated with Charles wasn't in pain. They were standing in the backyard of a huge mansion looking at a satellite dish, no longer on that beach. "Do you mind if I…" said the man while moving his fingers, and Erik saw himself shake his head in disagreement before being taken to another time and place. It was as if this handsome man that Erik couldn't resist was in his head, projecting his memories to him. He saw his 12 years old self with his mother and the candles. His mother looked very proud of him. He was happy and so was she. It was Hanukah and it didn't matter that the war was raging outside. He was with his Mama and that's all that mattered. Then his head was his own again and he heard himself ask "What did you just do to me?" and heard the answer. "There's so much more to you than you know, not just pain and anger. There's good too. I felt it" said the man with moist eyes, "So come on, try again?" Erik could now see himself attempting to turn the satellite dish; he could feel the familiar rush of power that made him control the metal. With his arm extended out in front of him and tears in his eyes, Erik managed to turn the dish. As he saw himself do so, he also saw the man look at him and his beautiful blue eyes were shedding tears while he was smiling .He then proceeded to slap Erik on his back in a proud gesture.

Erik now felt as if he had awoken from a dream. The room was no longer hazy and no memories were tugging on his mind. But he had so many questions to ask. He didn't know how he knew this man or where he was in the memory projected to him through the piece of the helmet. He couldn't recall this memory at all before this incident and he wanted to know how an inanimate object could telepathically be in his head. Many questions and not a single answer. Standing up from his chair at the table, Erik put the helmet piece inside the box and locked it, leaving it in the kitchen. He walked to the window in his living room and looked out. It was snowing very heavily now and the London street outside his apartment was white, covered in snow that was still untouched. Erik looked at the angel statue, and sighed to himself, "Who are you?" He stood there for hours just watching the snow fall and pile up in the street. His head running laps around his every night nightmare, the projection he's just seen and that man. Erik had somehow convinced himself that the irresistible fellow he keeps hurting is Charles. Maybe it's because he can't keep him out of his head and that he's been in the projection that was connected to Charles through the box. No matter the reason, Erik was becoming obsessed with him. He wanted to know how he was connected to him and most importantly the meaning of the dream and the projection. There he was staring out the window, and day dreaming about Charles' eyes. His lips, his hair, his body, all of him. Erik had to admit something to himself, but he couldn't say out loud, even to himself. The thought was very straight out obvious, Erik loved Charles. Even though he's never him, he felt as if he knew him. Genuinely knew him, as if they've spent years together, talking and discussing matters. "How is this possible? How can I feel this way about you when I don't even know you?" Erik questioned as the faint glow of the sun could be seen setting behind the clouds. He shook his head and smiled to himself as he walked away from the window heading towards the fireplace. It was starting to snuff itself out, so he added a couple of logs before settling on the couch. After hours of watching TV and constant snacks, Erik fell asleep where he laid in the living room.

This night wasn't any different from the previous one. Erik saw the same nightmare, his helmet, the bullet, Charles crying out in pain as he falls to the beach, and his heart dropping to his knees. It was all the same except for one thing. This night, he couldn't help but think that maybe this nightmare actually happened and it's somehow trapped in his mind. His reason for this being that the man he saw in the telepathy show the helmet piece showed him looked like the man in his nightmare. And that man was someone that Charles knew. Him maybe. He felt worse now than he ever did after waking up from his nightmare. That was because he didn't want to hurt someone he cared for so deeply. With his head fuzzy and his thoughts uncontrolled, Erik turned off the TV that had been left on since he fell asleep on the couch and walked to his bedroom sleepily. In his room, he opened his closet and pulled out some comfortable clothes to sleep in. After undressing himself almost blindly in the night, he put them on. He got in his bed and pulled the cover over him. But as soon as he did that, the sleep left his eyes as was usual with the nightmares. He laid there waiting for sleep to overcome him and send him off, his mind free to wander. He saw Charles and himself in front of the mansion from the projection. They were ready to start a race. "I'm going to win this time," Charles said as Erik laughed. "Please, you never win. I'm much faster than you," said Erik smugly. "We'll see about that," challenged Charles. Smiling at him, Erik started the backwards count. "Three, Two, One. GO!" Both men shot forward at incredible speeds, both determined to win. The distance that Erik imagined wasn't long and the race was over quickly with Charles as the winner. Panting, Charles pointed out the obvious, "told you I was going to win."

"Fine, so you won. Do you want an award?" joked Erik.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"And what will that be?" Erik said with a smile.

"You could give me a kiss," Charles suggested with a smile that lighted his eyes and made Erik swoon. Smiling back whole heartedly, Erik stepped closer to Charles and placed his hands on his waist. "Fine" He bent down to match Charles' height and made their lips meet. Charles returned Erik's kiss with just the same passion and tenderness. He didn't want it to end but was forced to do so to draw breath. When their lips parted, Erik looked directly into Charles' eyes and confessed his heart. "I love you," he whispered to the man he couldn't bear to part with. "I love you too," whispered Charles back.

Something at his window pulled Erik out of the most beautiful fantasy his travelling mind has so far come up with. Drawing back his warm blanket, Erik got up and saw that it was nothing but snow that fell from the roof above. So he lied back down and covered himself again and began to think about what his mind has just conjured. He thought of Charles' lips and what it would actually feel like to kiss him, if ever. He thought of meeting him, talking to him, and racing with him. Erik didn't know such a thing was possible but he missed Charles. He missed him like he's known him his whole life. With that thought on his mind, Erik drifted to a peaceful sleep devoid of nightmares.


	3. It's Him

Erik's sleep is interrupted by a knock on his door. He wakes up irritated because whoever is at his door, he just woke Erik up from a very peaceful sleep. Not to mention Erik having to get up from the warmth of his bed. Very slowly, he rises from the beautiful warmth and drags himself out of the bedroom and to the door of the apartment in the cold. He opens the door to find the postman he's seen so very often but had never knocked on his door. "Erik Lensherr?" asks the postman. "That's me" Erik replies with a thick sleepy voice. "Sign here please" says the postman while handing Erik a paper to sign. Returning the paper, Erik receives the package. "Thank you" Erik said habitually as he closes the door after the postman. It was a large package, the reason it had to be delivered by the postman and not in the mailbox. Erik first looks at the sender's name and it was quite a surprise to see that Charles Xavier had sent him something else. But it was a very lovely surprise as all the irritation the postman had caused was wiped away as he saw the beautiful handwriting on the package. Erik smiled to himself and the thoughts he had of kissing Charles last night flooded his brain. He set the package on the kitchen table, started the coffee machine and proceeded to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair and changed out of his comfortable sleeping clothes for something that was more suitable for the day. He did his normal routines while thinking about what could possibly be in this package. One very logical answer to his question that he concluded with was another piece of the strange helmet. That meant the possibility of another projection or manifestation of events that he had no memories of. Leaving the bathroom, he headed to the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table in front of the package. He smiled to himself again as he saw the way in which Charles' and his own name were written. But he couldn't help it. Something about the way his Charles wrote their names touched Erik's heart. Erik noticed that the package was taped at the top, so he stretched his arm out toward the kitchen counter to get a knife in order to cut the tape. He felt the metal of the knife and made it come to him. He caught it in his hand ever-so expertly as he's done this countless times. With the knife in hand, he cut the tape connecting the two halves of the lid together and saw a piece of paper sitting on a box inside. He set the knife down and picked up the piece of paper first. It interested him to read what Charles had written far more that the contents of the other box, even though those were interesting as well. Unfolding it, he read quietly:

_Dearest Erik, I have been thinking _

_about you for the longest time. And lately,_

_more so than ever. I hope you will _

_understand why I'm thinking of you _

_non-stop after you see this second memory._

_Yours always and forever, Charles Xavier_

"Yours always and forever" he repeated out loud with yet another smile. "He's mine always and forever?" Erik questioned because it wasn't possible for Charles to feel that way about him. To think that he's been thinking about him, now Erik didn't know what to think. He wasn't going to deny that he liked for Charles to think about him though. He quite enjoyed it, being the constant resident of someone else's mind, as Charles was the constant resident of his mind. But now he is thinking of the second memory. That meant that he was right about another piece of the strange helmet being in the box. So he carefully folded the piece of paper that he treasured to heart now and put it on the table.

Erik took the second box out of the package and saw that it had the same "X" carved into its lid. He also noticed that it was locked and no key was included this time. He thought that maybe the same key that opened the previous box would open this one, so he retrieved it from the its place on the table using his mutation. He opened the box and lifted the lid while preparing himself to give up his mind to the projection. He saw this piece of the helmet, it was about twice the size of the previous one. That made Erik think that the memory included in it would be longer and possibly even more non-existent in his mind as Charles said it would help him know why Charles felt the way he did about him. So he touched it and waited for the projection to engulf him. And it was quick to do so. Erik began to see the outlines of a room covered in red curtains form. He was seeing a bed with red sheets beginning to appear. And there was a bed side table with alcoholic beverages on it. He then saw the essential characters of the projection. They were himself and the man from the nightmare and the previous projection, the man he thought was Charles. Both of them were sitting on the bed, legs stretched out and fully relaxed, enjoying a glass. There was someone else in the room though, and it wasn't clear who. It was as if the projection was manipulated to eliminate them because Erik could see someone, they were just completely out of focus. That someone then walked out of the room leaving Charles and Erik alone. Erik heard himself say " More tea, vicar?" and Charles replied, "Don't mind if I do" He was then pouring the alcohol in Charles' glass, who took a sip then put the glass down on the bed side table. Charles turned to face Erik while taking his hand in his. Erik turned to look at Charles as well and placed his hand on Charles'.

"Erik, there's something you should know" Erik heard Charles say.

"Yes, what is it my friend?" Erik asked.

"Well that's just it, I don't think of you as a friend" Charles answered.

"What?" Erik blurted out absently as he felt a twinge of pain in his chest. "You don't think of me as your friend?"

"I think of you as much more than that" confessed Charles. "And I think you do too"

"What do you mean?" Erik questioned despite knowing the answer.

"Erik, my heart belongs to you. It has since we first met" Charles said with a low voice and a smile.

"Charles, my heart belongs to you as well and only you" Erik returned Charles' confession with a smile as well.

"It's a relief to hear you admit it" sighed Charles as he was leaning into Erik

"You never have to worry about that darling, I'm yours" said Erik as he filled the small gap between them.

They looked directly into each other's eyes before Charles placed his hand on Erik's neck and kissed him. Erik was surprised that Charles would kiss him only moments after they admitted their love for each other, but non-the-less kissed him back. Their lips melted into each other's. Both of them feeling the heat of the blood running through their lips. Neither Charles nor Erik would break their kiss for longer that a few seconds, but they had to breathe then resume. Erik took Charles' waist and turned in the bed, landing with Charles underneath him, all the while still kissing him. In the brief break to draw air, the men smiled at each other, answering the unspoken question they both had. Charles was beginning to unbutton Erik's suit jacket and Erik was doing the same to his man. With the jackets off, the men moved to remove their ties. Erik tugging on Charles' and Charles on Erik's until they were untied and removed. Erik slowly unbuttoned Charles' collar and placed a kiss on his neck, then another, and another. He was trailing kisses along the length of Charles' neck until he reached his lips where he lingered, choosing to make the moment count and kiss Charles for as long they both had the breath for. All of a sudden the scene was interrupted with the same unfocused person walking into the room and seeing the current state of the men. And with that, the projection ended and Erik regained control of his mind.

Erik was speechless, but his thoughts were racing as they did often. "You will understand why I'm thinking of you non-stop after you see this second memory" Charles' words were very loud and clear in his head but they didn't make any sense. "What does the man I only _associate_ with Charles have to do with this memory, and Charles' words?" he thought. "Erik, my heart belongs to you. It has since we first met" This was too much for Erik to take. He stood up and walked to the window slowly, dizzily. As he looked out at the snow covered street, it hit him. The man from the nightmare and the two projections _is_ Charles. How, he didn't know. But it was very clear that Charles knew him. That meant that the projections were true, but what about the nightmare? There is a good and a bad side to this realization. The man Erik was in love with does in fact exist and loves him back, but at the same time, Erik wasn't sure if the nightmare was a manifestation of guilt toward hurting the man he loved or not. Looking out at the peaceful snow, Erik's mind wasn't his own. It was far too clouded with thoughts of how he could have possibly hurt Charles and hopes that he hadn't. Standing there in his cold apartment, he was conflicted. "If I hurt him, I don't remember any of it" he said in a whisper. "And if I did, it seems as if he forgave and forgot" he suggested in order to make sense of the situation. "But maybe, nothing even happened. That the nightmare is just a coincidence. But it can't be" his thoughts were very thankfully interrupted by the phone ringing. Erik walked towards it and could somehow tell who was calling. He almost knew that was Charles. Picking it up, he heard the caller speak first. "Erik" he heard a very pleasing male voice say "Yes, who is this?" he replied with a calm voice. "Charles Xavier" Erik's heart sank as he heard this, both out of joy that he somehow guessed it would be and out of anxiety as to what he would say to Charles and what would Charles say to him.

"Charles, I would ask how you got hold of my number, but it seems that you know everything there is about me" Erik said unable to hold back the question in his head.

"That is true. I know everything about you" replied Charles

"Can I ask you how?"

"Yes, of course. But I can't tell you over the phone. It's a very long story" Charles explained.

"How else would you tell me?" Erik said and it was starting to become hard for him to control his voice out of anxiety to be talking with the man he loved.

"That's why I called you Erik. I want to arrange a meeting so I can officially introduce myself to you for the second time" Charles answered.

"For the second time?"

"Yes, Erik. Did you not see those memories?" questioned Charles.

"I did, and I knew that we knew each other but I don't remember any of it" clarified Erik

"I know, but you will. I will tell you everything" Charles sounded defeated.

"Is everything alright Charles? You don't sound well." Erik worried.

"Yes I'm alright. And you're still the same. Always worrying about me. It's just a very sensitive matter. That's all" Charles assured.

"That's good. When can we meet?"

"I was hoping later today if it's not a bother. Maybe around 6:00" Charles offered.

"That sounds very good. But where?"

"Your favourite coffee shop Erik"

"You know about that too"

"I told you I know everything about you" Charles agreed

"Well, you have a lot to explain but yes that is a good place to meet"

"Alright then. I will see you in a few hours"

"See you"

"Take care of yourself for me" Charles asked of Erik

"I will" Erik assured as he hung up the phone.


	4. Meeting Charles

Sorry I took forever to update. Here's an extra long chapter. Hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

As Erik hung up the phone, excitement flooded him. But at the same time, the excitement was accompanied with worry. He was going to meet Charles, all of his questions were going to be answered. Yet to meet Charles made him uneasy. "So I can officially introduce myself to you for the second time", Charles' words gave Erik a feeling that wasn't quiet focused but still present, a feeling of guilt. He felt that he should remember Charles, but couldn't remember anything except for what he's seen in the helmet fragments no matter how hard he tried. Deciding to clear his mind of doubt, Erik moved toward his bedroom in order to get ready. Though he still had around 3 hours before he had to meet the man he desired. In the bedroom, Erik made the messy bed that he left upon being waked by the postman and opened his closet. He was staring at his clothes, unable to pick something because he didn't know what to wear to this sort of meeting. He wanted to look nice when he met Charles but they were meeting in a coffee shop after all and that usually says, "Whatever clothes I happen to be wearing". But a part of him didn't care what others thought and so he picked out a black suit with a waistcoat, a white shirt and a patterned red tie. As he was laying his outfit on the recently made bed, Erik realized that this outfit was exactly what he wore in the last projection he saw. The projection in which he confesses his love for Charles. The same one that made him want to meet Charles that much more. But he didn't want to change it because of that very reason. It was much more sentimental to him and -he hoped- to Charles as well. He then grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom. In the bathroom, taking his shower, Erik's mind began to wander. He was thinking of the last projection, seeing himself and the one he loved more than he could describe. He almost felt the same emotions he was feeling at the moment that memory occurred. He felt Charles' hand on his, he could recall the wonderful smell of his skin, the way their lips fit together perfectly as if they were made to belong with the other's. "His lips, the lips" Erik thought to himself. "How they felt on mine. How I'd love to kiss him, even though I don't really remember him" He placed his fingers on his lips and sighed in defeat. "How long do I have to wait before I know what it would actually feel like to kiss you?" he said out loud under the running water. With his metal bending mutation, Erik shuts the water off. He then stepped out of the shower, wrapped himself in the towel and walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. He dried off and put on his suit. He blow dried his hair and combed it down. Then he reached for his favourite cologne but realized that the situation demanded a more expensive and frankly better smelling fragrance. And he had just the one. It was just something he kept in his closet. He got up and grabbed it, but spraying it he thought that that was defiantly too much. But it was too late to do anything about it. So he grabbed his keys off the bed side table, put on his coat and went outside. It was only in the cold that Erik realized he hadn't eaten anything. He had slept without any dinner and he usually doesn't have breakfast, so felt very hungry now. And he didn't want to be distracted with anything when he was with Charles, even with something as important as food. Walking away from his apartment in the snow covered street, Erik made his way to the little restaurant he usually goes to.

He opened the door and let the January air inside the near empty place. The regular waiter greeted him, "Hello, Erik" "Hello" he replied as he saw his breath rise in the cold. He sat at his usual table and without having to order anything, the waiter came with his food. "Thanks. Can I have some water please?" Erik requested. "Sure thing" responded the waiter with a friendly smile. Whenever Erik comes to this restaurant, he orders the same thing: boiled rice and fish. He loves it, and could now see the steam rise from his plate and the smell of his food filled the room. "Wow I'm hungry" he said with realization of how much he needed food as the waiter came back with the water. Erik smiled at him and began eating. He ate somewhat fast but not only because he was hungry. The walk to the restaurant had taken him longer than he anticipated and he didn't want to be late. So he devoured his rice and fish and washed them down with the water. As he stood up from his chair, he placed exact change on the table and walked to the door. "Someone's in a hurry" pointed out the waiter. "Yes, I have a date" Erik's tongue slipped. "A date?" the waiter questioned. "It's more of a meeting actually" Erik said in an attempt to remain inconspicuous. "Well have fun" said the waiter but Erik was already out the door.

As soon as he stepped in the snow, he checked his watch. It was 4:50 and he had to be in the coffee shop at least 10 minutes before his date. He would be able to make it but barely, so he started off toward the coffee shop. He was walking fast, and his thoughts were everywhere. _What do I say to him? Do I ask him all of these questions that I have? Will he answer? Do I shake his hand or does he require me to remember something special that we used to do? Will he even be there? Should I go back? _He didn't know the answer to any of the questions racing in his mind but he kept going anyway. Curiosity to meet the man occupying every single second of his life pushing him to do so. He was already half way to the shop and it was around 5:20. "30 minutes. I only have thirty minutes!" he panicked out loud. "Relax. I won't judge you if you're late" he heard a voice say, but there was no one that it could have come from. He stopped and looked around, and again found nobody. "I'm in your head, silly. Don't you remember that I can do that?" the voice spoke again. "In my head? Now I'm hearing things?" questioned Erik as he resumed walking. "I don't know about that, but you're definitely hearing me. I'm very real" the voice explained. "What." Erik was becoming angry as he stopped walking again. "No need for you to get angry love. It's only me." laughed the voice "Think about it for a second. Concentrate on my voice. Have you heard it before?" The voice instructed and Erik followed. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. It was like an echo. He heard the same voice over and over saying the same words. Startled with realization he whispered, "Charles"

"Yes it's me" he said. "Sorry about scaring you"

"It's alright" Erik breathed. "But how are you doing this?"

"It's my mutation Erik. I thought you'd remember more" Charles worried.

"I don't. But you can help me remember, am I right?"

"Yes of course" agreed Charles

"Wait a minute! Where are you to be able to do this? And how long have you been in my head?"exclaimed erik.

_Ehheheheh_ "Calm down, I only read your mind now. Before that you were too far for me to reach you telepathically" Charles said with a voice light with laughter.

"You came here before me. I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to keep you waiting" Erik apologized.

"Don't worry about it. It gives me a chance to anticipate your arrival at any minute" Charles joked.

"But wouldn't you be able to know?" Erik questioned.

"Only if I stay in your head for that long. And that's of course if you allow me to"

"Umm" Erik didn't know what to think. He didn't want Charles to know how he felt about him. At least not yet.

"Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts then. See you soon" Charles said as he left Erik's mind.

Now Erik was more eager to meet Charles, and even more anxious. He didn't know or more accurately remember that Charles could read minds. "Just be calm" he thought as he almost ran to the coffee shop. "Be calm. He said he would only do it if I allowed. Oh no.." he said as he saw the shop in the distance. He could also see Charles. A very faint image of him, but he knew that it was him instantly. "He's sitting outside. He's sitting outside." He said under his breath as he was getting closer to Charles. He breathed in deeply, over and over to steady himself. While Erik was very nervous, Charles looked extremely comfortable, playing with a flower in his hand. With one last step, Erik was standing face to face with Charles. Standing. Erik thought that if the projections are true that maybe his recurring nightmare is as well. But Charles is able to stand, so Erik couldn't be sure. He wouldn't ask about it though. Not until the right time or if it has something to do with his memory.

"Hello" Charles greeted first, handing the dark red flower to Erik.

"Hello Charles" Erik greeted back as he took the flower and extended his hand out for a shake.

"Erik" Charles said as he refused Erik's hand and took him in his arms instead.

Erik was shocked by the level of intimacy between Charles and himself that he didn't recall, but didn't reject the hug either way. He actually accepted it by wrapping his arms around Charles.

"I'm so glad you didn't turn me down for the hug. But more so that you agreed to meet me" Charles admitted as he let go of Erik and indicated for him to sit down as he did so himself.

"Honestly, I didn't expect it. But I would never turn you down." Erik confessed as he sat down as well.

"You didn't change. You're still the same, except for your memory"

"I didn't, huh."

"Not one bit. Do you like my flower?"

"Yes, very much. Thank you. But what is it exactly?

"It's a carnation. The dark red ones usually symbolize deep love" Charles shared.

"Love..." Erik's thought is interrupted.

The waiter at the coffee shop comes out in the cold and asks the men to order. Erik orders first, "The usual please" then Charles, "I'll have whatever he has" Charles said with a smile that Erik had imagined before but looked much more incredible when seeing it. He couldn't help but smile back even thought Charles' smile was meant for the waiter. The waiter went back inside to get their orders.

"Are you sure about that?" Erik said, still smiling.

"Why would I not be?"

"My usual is plain black coffee. I'm not sure if you'd like that" Erik explained.

"I know that it is. I've lived with you long enough to know your routines by heart" Charles says with a wink, and Erik's smile gets wider.

"About my memory, why don't I remember any of this? You, the projections. I only keep having this dream that I don't remember exiting as well. But it's one that I connect with that helmet or rather helmet pieces"

"You don't remember anything because of the helmet. And I will explain what happened to you but slowly. Only because it might be too much to handle all at once. That's why I started with two pieces but there are more and they don't even tell you the whole story." Charles explained

"The helmet took my memory, is that it?"

"No, not exactly. You'll know but Erik please, I need you to be patient."

"I will be as long as I don't have to wait too long, because you said the pieces don't tell the whole story. Well I want to know the entire story."

"Yes. I won't make us wait for long. I want you to remember as much as you do, so I can have you to myself again." Charles spoke his heart openly. Erik didn't know how to respond and was quiet for a few minutes trying to process what Charles said. During this time, the waiter breaks the silence, coming back with the coffee.

"Thank you." Charles appreciates but Erik says nothing.

"Is that too much for you now" Charles asks after taking a sip and Erik nods.

"Ok. I won't talk too much about that then. Instead then let's talk about your dream" he suggested.

"It's not exactly a dream, it's more of a nightmare." Erik starts as he places his hands on the hot cup for warmth. "I see it every night. Always the same one. I'm in it and there's this man that I think is you. I didn't at first but only after seeing you in the projections did I make the connection. Well technically that and your note. _You will understand why I'm thinking of you non-stop after you see this second memory_" Erik recites from Charles' letter and pauses to judge his reaction to what he has said. Charles looks very thoughtful. He has a "turning the matter over" look and he raises his cup for another sip. It wasn't exactly the reaction Erik was looking for but he continues. "I'm always wearing this helmet and there's a woman who shoots at me but I deflect the bullet. And in every single nightmare, the bullet hits the man and he falls. I try to get to him so I can help him, but I always wake up before I can." Erik finishes.

"Oh Erik." Charles says with a saddened voice and sets his cup on the table take Erik's hands in his. "I'm so very sorry that this has been haunting you. I guess it's just your mind's way of reminding you of the guilt you felt after the accident."

"So that man, is he you?" Erik asks for clarification as his anxiety was becoming very uncomfortable.

"Yes, it's me" the sadness in Charles' voice is very apparent now. But his touch on Erik's cold skin is unwavering. "I appear in your nightmare every night and you unintentionally hit me with the bullet." Erik is hurt by his admission and Charles notices. "No, don't. I don't want you to be upset by this. It was an accident and I've let it go." Charles asks of Erik.

"How can I not be upset. If I truly did that and hurt you and you say that we had something, how can I be ok with this. Erik voice is completely defeated and cracking, very close to tears.

"Erik, I'm fine. My back is fine, I can walk and run and jump. Everything is fine."

"You can walk…? Are you saying that at one time you couldn't?" Erik could barely hold the tears back. Charles remains silent and averts his gaze. Erik is impatient and demands that Charles answer "damn it Charles, tell me." His tears spill with the anger.

Charles is crying as well and it's hard for him to look at the man he loves, but he forces himself. "Yes. There was a short time after the accident when I couldn't. The bullet in my back caused paralysis and I lost all feeling it my legs" Erik gasps. "I'm alright Erik. I didn't want to tell you about this but you forced me."

"Tell me the rest" Erik's voice cracks as he pushes Charles for the whole memory.

"No Erik, I won't tell you. You've had enough."

"Charles, please. I need to know" Erik presses on.

"Alright" Charles sighs. "After I got home, I used Cerebro – the machine that amplifies my telepathy – to try to find a mutant who had the ability to influence anatomy." Charles pauses and drinks some coffee to soothe his dry mouth then continues. "After long hours of searching, I found her. She was a sweet little girl who was very reluctant about her powers. I was taken to her and I explained what I needed her to do. She was scared and said that she didn't know if she could do it, but I told her to try anyway. I told her I had faith in her because I knew what she was capable of and she agreed. She was able to fuse together the pieces of the broken vertebra, and gave me the ability to walk again." Charles completes while wiping a tear away from his cheek.

Erik can't believe that he caused so much pain to the man he cherished to heart so deeply. He tries to speak but no words were formed. He can only manage, "I'm so sorry"

Charles smiles. "There is no need for an apology because I was never upset with you"

"I know, but it had to be said. You had to know that I'm guilty, even if I don't consciously remember."

"Erik, I only told you because you wanted to know, but I prefer if you didn't. I don't want you to feel guilty. I want you to be happy. There are memories that you still haven't seen that are much more joyous. Keep your mind focused on them." Charles suggested while absently tracing invisible lines on Erik's hand.

"I'm glad you told me. Even if it hurts, it's good that I know the truth." Charles flashes Erik a most dashing smile that made him smile even though he didn't feel that he could. "But what of the other memories?" Erik asks.

"They are in other pieces of the helmet. Well piece actually, there's only one left. But it's at home."

"Where's home Charles." Erik questions

"Manchester" replies Charles.

"That's almost 300 KMs. You drove that far?"

"It's nothing really. Just 3 hours"

"So how do I get it then?"

"I was thinking you could come home. If you want" Charles suggested

"Go to Manchester with you?" excitement fills Erik but he doesn't show it.

"Yes. Would you? I'll drive and all. Plus it's only temporary residence. I have the mansion in New York."

"I'd love to, Charles. And I'm guessing we'll be staying in a hotel, yes?"

"Unfortunately, yes. And only because I think after you see the last memory, you'd want to go back with me." Charles sounded very hopeful.

"I hope I can" Erik said with a smile.

"Well then, I'll come get you in the morning. Around 10:00, is that a good time?"

"Very good"

"Great, tomorrow then. But know I must go."

"You do. And I barely got to know you because I spent all the time talking about hurting you" Erik didn't want Charles to leave but couldn't stop him.

"Don't worry about that. We have a lot of time." Charles said as he stood up. Erik did the same. Charles opened his arms to invite Erik for a hug. Erik smiled and stepped into Charles' arms. Charles buried his face in Erik's shoulder and though reluctant, Erik rested his chin on Charles'. The two men stood there for a while, enjoying each other's warmth and company. Standing in Charles' arms, Erik felt as though that's exactly where he belonged and that everything was ok. He wished he could stand where they were, in each others' arms forever but he knew they couldn't as Charles lifted his head and backed out of Erik's arms. "You smell incredible, Erik" Charles pointed out. "Thank you." He blushed in the night. "You smell amazing as well" Charles laughed and said "By the way, I remember when you first wore this suit." "Oh, I didn't realize that I had it since then, but the projection made me and I just couldn't switch it after I picked it out. Because it meant something to us." Erik replied. Charles smiled and took a step closer to Erik. "Goodnight, my love" he said as he kissed Erik's cheek. "Goodnight" Erik returned in admiration.


End file.
